Endgate fastener



April 26, 1938, F. E. ToMLlNsoN 2,115,241 ENDGATE FASTENER Filed Aug. 3, 1956 a 66 j@ 47 (w3/f2 ffA Patented Apr. 26, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OYFFIQE ENDGATE' FASTENER Fred Everet Tomlinson, Grove, Okla., assigner of one-half to Harlan Link Kelley, Grove, Okla.

Application August 3, 1936, Serial No. 93,924

Claims.

AAnther object is to providean end gate fastener which includes spring-influenced corner 'f post grasping units, and a removable unitary over-center lever assemblage.

VAnother object is to provide an vover-center lever vassemblage which includes a resilient portion adaptedvto compensate for 4and eliminate that small amount of slack which conventional 'vz' showing a preferred embodiment of the present invention installed upon one type of end gate and securing it in operative position at the back of the' truck.

Fig. 2 is asection on the linefZ-Z of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section on theline 3 3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a view of the removable lever assemblage and associated parts showing the relation of the elements when the device is partially closed.

Fig. 5 is another view of the lever assemblage and associated'parts showing the relation of the elements when the device is in closed position.

Fig. 6 is a perspective of the lever assemblage showing the details of its elements. v

Fig. 7 is a section on the line 'l-l of Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawing more particularly by reference numerals, there are shown in Fig. 1 certain .elements of a truck including chassis channels ID having a transverse brace ll extending therebetween, vertically disposed supports '|2, a transverse floor support i3, floor boards I4, rear corner posts l5, and reinforcing plates l5secured by bolts Il, or the like, to the posts l5 and floor boards I4.

' A skeleton end gate generally designated 2U isl provided and includesv horizontal members 2|, 22 and 23 and Vertical members 24, 25, 26 and 21. The horizontal and vertical members are secure- 'jlyv connected together in any desired manner. The particular type of truck and end gate construction forms no part of the present invention and it is, of course, obvious that any type is adapted to receive the end gate fastener which is described below.

In a preferred embodiment, the present end gate fastener includes a centrally located lever assemblage generally designated 30 and end a s l The leverV semblages generally designated 3|. assemblage includes a U-shaped lever generally designated 32, a U-shaped member generally designated 33, a straight member or link 34 having a hook 35 at one end and an eye 35 at the other end, and a pivot pin 37. The pin 3l has a head 39 at one end and `is apertured at the other end to receive a cotter pin 38. The lever 32 includes a handle portion 46 which is curved towards the extreme end to oiiset the bight 4i of the U from the general plane of the member, ras can be readily seen from an inspection of Fig. 4. The leverV 32 further includes theV curved leg portions 42, each of which terminates in an eye 43. The handle portion 40 and the leg portions 42 are constructed of a continuous piece of resilient steel, or other suitable material, the legs 42 being joined to they handle 49 by the coiled portions 44, each of which defines an aperture 45. The U-shaped member 33 includes legs 46, each of which terminates at the free end in a right angular extension 4l', and a bightY 48 having a central depression 49 therein. The lever 32 is of a length in the curved portions 42 and the handle 40 to provide, respectively, sufficient spring and an operating arm long enough to insure easyv binding, yet without looseness of the link 34 be` tween the lever 32 to prevent side play of the de vice. The extensions 4l are inserted through the eyes 43 by the usual method of springing the legs 46 of the U-member 33 outwardly, the return spring being sufficient to maintain the extensions in place in the eyes43.

Referring nowl to the end assemblages, one only will be described, inasmuch as the two are identical, except for one feature', which will be point` ed out. There is provided a bracket generally designated 55 having two sides 55 and 51 which terminate in right angular extensions 58 and 59,

respectively. The side 56 and the extension 59` have apertures 6B and Blfrespectively, therethrough. An elongated rod 62 extends through the apertures SD and 6l and is maintained in av An'attaching clip 66 is disposed around the rod 62between the side 56 and the extension 5,9. As

disclosed, the'clip 66 includes an aperturedcentra] portion 26'! and Yattaching wings 68which have holes therethrough for the reception of c, :screws '69, or thef like. Arco-nventional type ofY Y clip constructed of strapmetal may be employed,"

if desired. A helical spring `'lil surroundstherod 62 and abuts the innerV face of the side 56 atgthe onerend and the clip 66 at the other end. Oneof thev rods 62 terminates in anjeye 1|, while the other rod 62 terminates in a hookflZ, this being the only difference between the end assemblages.

In Figs. 1 andV 2, the assembled end gate fastener .isshown in position on an end gate. The clips 66 are fastened by lthe screws 69, or the like,

Vto'lthe verticalY members 24 and ,21.Y Additional clips 66 embrace the rods 62 near their free ends f f Y' and are fastenedl to the vertical'members 2.5 and Q Y Y e ".Qperafio'n e rIlhe operation of the present invention is readily apparent from'the foregoing, read in conjunction withY an inspection ofithe'drawing. VIn Fig. 2, the present end gatejfastener isl shownfas mainr taining theend gate` 2U in position Vat the rear of -the truck. The elements of the lever assemblage f 30 are maintainedV in closed relationrthroughV an over-centerposition of the 4freel ends ofthe leverv 32. `This laction is so Astrong that4 chance of acci-j dental release isvery remote, 'obviating the-use of additional' fastening means; To remove the gate j 20, Athehandle 40 of theflever assemblage' 301 is grasped and rotated clockwise'about the pivot pinV 31 as a movable axis (Fig. 4). Clockwisefmove- Y ment of the handle 40 moves the extensions 41 Y through a'longitudinal distanceequal to twice the length of the leg portions 42 of the lever 32, which,

obviously, allows the rods 62 to bewithdrawn out- Wardly under the action of the springs 10.V Each Vspring 10 Vwill move its associated rod'62 and bracket`55 outwardly until the inner' Yface Vof the* 45'; Y Y. to be movedbutwardly a suflicient distance to extension 59 contacts the clip 66. This amountof movementis adjusted topermit the extension 58 clear the postV I 5, or other structure. The gate20, Vwith'its associated fastener, may then ,be removed as an entirety from .the'backofftlre truck g. Obviously,Y the rein'stallation of .thegatej 2liy upon the back iof theftruck comprises the Vabove removal steps in reverse order. Y V Itis thus apparentthat'there has beenrprovided an, end gate fastener which isfadarpted to achieveY all of the Yobjects and advantages sought. "It is 1 further apparent that there has been provided aj lever assemblage which is capable ofavariety of uses. It is to berunderstood that the'abo'vejde- Y scriptionv andraccompanyinggdrawing have been given by way of illustration and example,` and beingy not by Y Way of limitation, the Y invention limitedfonly by the following claims, Y

What Vis claimed isgf v 17. A fastening Vdevice comprising rend assem-V fblages anda connecting lever assemblage adapted Y to draw the endVK assemblages simultaneously'tov-V wards eachother, each.o fsaidz end assemblages 'Y havingabracketofa configuration tograsp Ya -iixed member, eachof said endfassemblages further Yhaving meansffor movingthe assemblage outwardly to releasethe bracketriroml'the iixe'd Y curved resilient'portio-n adapted member upon the Y release of the vlever assemblage,

"said lever assemblage including a vU'shaped leverV Y having two legs, a U-shaped member having two f legsfpivotally connected -to the lever at the. ex tremities of the. four legs, a pivotA pin connected to the legs of V.said leverv intermediate the bight and the extremitiesof the legs, and alink having a hook at the free end thereof pivotally connected to said'pin between the legs of the lever, the portions of the legs of the'lever between the pin-and the extremities being curved to aord a spring. Y

2. An end'gate fastening device comprising end Y assemblagesjdisposed for longitudinal movement, each of said assemblages including a bracket of a configuration toY grasp a iixed member when inv one position, locking means connecting'fthe endA assemblages adapted to'hold the brackets in position grasping the fixed members, and. spring means? associated [with each end assemblage" adapted to movethe bracket outwardly from engagement with its respectivefixed memberupon therelease of Ythe'locking means, said `lockingrj- 'meanscomprisingan over-center lever assemblage, the actuating lever thereof includingV a, l

to compensatey Yfor over-center slack. y f

3. An end gate fastening device comprising end assemblages disposed for longitudinal movement,

and a lever assemblage connecting said end assernl Y c blages and being removable 'therefrornas a unit, ,3.0!

Veach of said end assemblages including Va bracketV lever assemblage, said lever assemblage compris ing a U-shaped lever having two legs, va` U'-shaped member having two legs pivotally connected to the lever at'the extremities .of the four legs,`a Y pivot pin connected to the legs of said lever intermediate the Vbight and the extremities of the legs,

' of a configuration vto grasp a flxed'member when in one position'and an elongated rod adjustablyl. Y -xed to said bracket and extending towards saidv 35 i;

and a link having a hookrat the free end thereof move the' brackets into engagementrwith the xed Vmembers@V .-7

4; Av'fastening rdevice including an end assemblage,` said endassemblage including an L-shaped Ybracket the long leg of which has an inwardly turned flange disposed to parallelV .thevshort leg,

an elongated rod extending through aligned apertures in the ange and in the short leg and ad- Y Y justablyxed relative thereto, a helical spring about said rod kbetween said flange and short leg, and a mounting clip disposed about said rod between the flange and the spring.

bracket the long vleg of which hasan inwardly Vturnedange disposed to parallel the shortrlfeg,65

an elongated rod extending through aligned aperlY tures in the flange `and in the short leg and ad- Vjustably xed relative thereto, ahelical spring about said rod between said flange and short leg, A Y V and va mounting clip disposed-about said rod hej tween the ange and the spring.

a LFRED EVERET TOMLINSON.

V5*. Ahrend` gate fastener comprising a central w V VleverY assemblage and end assemblages, each of said Vend assemblages including an.V L-Vshaped 

